Casey Anthony walks free on Wednesday

Anthony, in jail since 2008, will walk out of the Orange County Jail next week after being sentenced Thursday to four years — but given credit for time served and good behavior.

The debt to society remains. Up ahead: a big fine and a bill from police to cover the costs of searching for a presumably missing toddler. That could take a few weeks to figure out.

Thursday morning’s sentencing brings to an end, at least in court, of a case that has been the talk of talking heads for three years.

On the streets outside the Orlando courthouse, a crowd wasn’t ready to close the case.

Where protesters had been camped since before sunrise, Amber Block shook her head in disgust. The recent graduate of cosmetology scored tickets to the sentencing hearing, the ninth time she had made it into the courthouse during the six-week trial.

"This is absurd," said Block, 23, of Orlando. "This makes me sick. That little girl is dead and her mother has her whole life to live." Acquitted of the major charges against her in the death of her doe-eyed daughter, Caylee, Anthony faced some more time behind bars after she was convicted of four misdemeanors of lying to investigators.

Mary Stratton, an Altamonte Springs schoolteacher, was among the last protesters in front of the courthouse Thursday afternoon. With her 5-year-old daughter in tow, Stratton held a poster that read: Mommy why did you kill me.

"She got away with murder and I am sure most of the mommies would agree,” Stratton said.